Foundation garment



Feb. 14, 1961 G. w. GEISSMANN FOUNDATION GARMENT Filed May 8, 1958 IN VEN TOR. Gladys W. Ge/ssmann ORNEY ife fates ate r FOUNDATION GARMENT Gladys W. Geissmann, 2 Beekman Place, New York, N.Y.

Filed May 8, 1958, Ser. No. 733,974

7 Claims. (Cl. 128-542) This invention relates to foundation garments and more particularly foundation garments affording control of the buttocks both girthwise and vertically of the wearer.

Conventionally, figure controlling forces are generated in foundation garments by the application of girthwise binding forces. Uplift of the buttocks has been achieved, for example, by rather tightly constricting the buttocks of the wearer. Not only is this uplift action achieved at the expense of unattractively shaping the figure elsewhere, but it can be uncomfortable, if not harmful when worn for long periods.

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a secure waistband in a. foundation garment, achieved preferably by means of girthwise fabric framework to pass along the waist and to rest, in most cases, on the hips. Suspended from this secure waistband is an inverted tapered arch portion having its lower arched or curved portion underlying the buttocks, and under tension to impart controlled lift thereto. The tapered arch portion, which can sustain considerable tension, thus operates as an uplift sling which imparts figure-controlling forces without impairing body motions, even of a rela tively extreme variety.

A preferred embodiment of the invention from which a full understanding of the above and other features of the invention may be had is described in the following specification taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure l is a developed plan view of a tapered arch portion adapted to be incorporated in a foundation garment;

Figure 2 is a rear view in perspective of a foundation garment incorporating the tapered arch of Figure 1 on a female figure;

Figure 3 is a side view of the garment of Figure 2 as it would appear with the wearer in a standing position;

Figure 4 is a side view of the garment of Figure 2 as it would appear with the wearer in a sitting position;

Figure 5 is a back view of a modified form of foundation garment embodying the present invention; and

Figure 6 is a side view of the foundation garment of Figure 5.

Referring first to Figures 1 4, the present invention is illustrated as embodied in a foundation garment indicated generally by the numeral 10, commonly known as a panty girdle. This garment, for purposes of illustration, is based on the foundation garment design disclosed in the applicants co-pending application, Serial No. 649,421, filed March 29, 1957. The garment includes a waistband or waist-encircling portion 11 which rests on the hips to secure it against downward movement and lower buttock or thigh-encircling means 12, which, in the panty girdle version, is constituted of a pair of leg portions 12a and 12b (Figure 2). The waistband and thigh-encircling means 11 and '12 are joined along the front of the garment by a shaped, tension member 13 (Figure 3) which overlies the abdomen. The tension member 13 includes conoavely shaped edge portions which form a continuously curving line, as viewed in Figure 3, from the waist to the thighs. The buttock and hip area outlined by this fabric framework, which preferably is for-med of material which is relatively strongly elastic such, for example, as satin Lastex, is filled by a single fabric piece 14, preferably resilient in two directions, such, for example, as power net.

The action of the garment is such that when the wearer stands erect, the tension member 13 is drawn taut between the body-encircling portions 11 and 12, thereby to impart control to the abdomen. At the same time, this peripheral fabric framework supports the fabric portion 14 to impart girthwise control over those portions on the anatomy which it overlies. In order to impart relatively strong uplift support to the buttocks, there is provided, in accordance with the present invention, as inverted tapered arch portion 15. The tapered arch portion 15 preferably formed of two fabric pieces joined in a center sea-m 16, is secured at its upper ends 17 and 18 to the waistband or waist-encircling portion 11 with its lower or arching portion 19 underlying the buttocks, as best seen in Figure 3. While the tapered arch portion 15 can be disposed either inside or outside of the fabric piece 14, in the illustrated embodiment of Figures 1-4, it is disposed inside and is preferably secured thereto at its center seam 16. The tapered arch 15 is also secured along the entire length of both of its edges to the fabric piece 14 by means of seams 15a and 15b. It is preferred that zig-zag stitching be used in order to afford elastic freedom.

Referring now to Figures 5 and 6, a modified foundation garment of the conventional girdle type 20 is. illus trated. The garment 20 differs from the garment 10 in that the lower thigh or buttock-encircling portion 21 is cut in a single piece. The garment 20 includes an inverted tapered arch portion 21 of substantially the same geometry and material as the corresponding portion 15 and secured to the garment in similar fashion by attachment to a vertically secure waist-encircling portion 22, which defines a framework from which to suspend the arch portion 21. In the arrangement of Figures 5 and 6 the arch portion is applied externally of the garment for an additional decorative effect. A satin stitch is preferred in this case for securing the arch to the garment along stitch lines 21a and 21b.

When worn, the uplift or sling effect of the tapered arch portion imparts figure-controlling forces without impairing mobility due to the integration of the arch with the framework of the foundation garment construction. The forces derive primarily from the waistband, and, therefore, free the wearer of constricting or uncomfortable pressures eisewhere throughout the garment. When the wearer is standing, the molded fit of the waistband part carries a significant portion of the uplift forces. When the wearer is sitting, there is no strain. on the lower back because the tapered arch remains more or less immobilized as the hips pivot While the present invention has been described in detail herein as embodied in specific foundation garment designs, it will be understood that its principles are applicable to a wide range of foundation garments. The invention should not, therefore, be regarded as limited except as defined in the following claims:

I claim:

1. In a foundation garment, a fabric frame assembly including a waist-encircling portion of relatively heavy material having limited elasticity girthwise of the wearer, a body portion of relatively lighter, more resilient material supported by the frame assembly to envelop the hip and buttock area of the wearer, and an inverted arch member including upstanding arm portions and comprising a band of relatively heavy material having limited elasticity lengthwise of the arm portions of the arch member and secured at the free ends of its arm portions to the Patented Feb. 14, 1981 waist-encircling portion adjacent the hips of the wearer and extending continuously down the sides of the garment and curving continuously downwardly rearwardly, said downwardly extending and rearwardly curving portions joining at the back of the garment adjacent its lower end to underlie the buttocks to impart vertical support thereto by means of forces derived from the waist-encircling portion.

2. A foundation garment as set forth in claim 1, said arch member being widest at its lower portion and tapering toward the ends of its arm portions.

3. A foundation garment as set forth in claim 1, including means to attach the arch member to the body portion along 'both edges of said band of material.

4. A foundation garment as set forth in claim 1, said arch member being shaped to form a surface in a plane inclined to the vertical at the lower rear portion of the garment.

5. A foundation garment as set forth in claim 1, said arch member being disposed inside said body portion.

6. A foundation garment as set forth in claiml, said waist-encircling portion being contoured to incline outwardly at the sides, the arms of said arch member being joined to the waist-encircling portion at the hips.

7. A foundation garment as set forth in claim 1, said frame assembly including body encircling band means at the lower edge of the garment and a vertical band member at the front of the garment connected at its upper end to the Waist-encircling portion and at its lower end to the body-encircling band means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,344,374 Stephens Mar. 14, 1944 2,506,826 Ford May 9, 1950 2,651,777 Fox Sept. 15, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,000,414 France Oct. 10, 1951 

